The Scientist
by chromate
Summary: Re-make of chapter 260 of the manga. Just as Hayate thought he had succeeded in saving Athena, reality stated otherwise as she collapsed in his arms. A HayateXAthena oneshot.


It was totally a rush of blood to the head while reading the End of the World arc for the second time that this story came to my mind. I started this mange to find something enjoyable, just-to-have-a-laugh and need-not-to-think in the hope of escaping from reality fully, but the End of the World arc, arguably, brings the whole story to its climax and I have no idea how much I love the relationship Hayate and Athena shared. Originally in terms of pairing I was turning myself into either Hinagiku or Maria, but the presence of Athena made me wonder which girl to pick, seriously.

Hence I decided to do a re-make of chapter 260 for my own pleasure. It was quite fun writing this though.

Anyway, if you haven't, go listen to the song The Scientist by Coldplay. I find so much resemblance of the Hayate-Athena relationship in the song.

Disclaimer: The Scientist is a beautiful song by Coldplay. I don't own anything in here but my story.

* * *

He blinked.

She smiled.

He blinked again.

She continued smiling.

Their eyes met, and all was still. The boy was at a loss of words. His soft lips parted as she rested comfortably in his arms. _This is a dream_, he was trying to convince himself. This would not happen in reality. Not after all that had happened.

His hand reached out touch her pale cheeks, surprising both of them. As her dark crimson eyes pierced through his soul, he could only watch in despair, not wanting to believe in the truth. 'Baka,' he could hear her mutter, 'Hayate is still a cry-baby.' Had she not pointed out the obvious, the boy named Hayate would not have noticed tears rolling down his face. But he did not care. Rather, he felt like crying. He felt like letting his emotions out. He was taught not to cry easily, as a man, but he couldn't care less now.

He opened his mouth again, but no sound could be made. Her pitiful eyes made him feel useless. He felt so. Gone was the promise of protecting her, staying by her side forever. He recalled the time when she asked him to yell out loud her name on the top of the castle. 'A-tan! A-tan!' He kept on repeating the same name, with the same loud childish voice he had at the time. To be honest, he did not even remember how and when he came up with that name.

A-tan was short for Athena.

'Hayate is still a cry-baby.'

Her voice took him back to reality. He could not feel his knees, which were glued to the floor, supporting her light body. Her head rested on his lap, with her head facing the broken ceiling. He took in her scent that had calmed him down many times. Her untidy golden hair curled around his neck. As he continued to caress her cheeks, his fingers absorbed the sensation that he knew would not last long, but he did not want to acknowledge that fact. As he felt her face become colder, his watery eyes failed to stop themselves again.

'A-tan,' he managed to mutter, 'why?'

'Baka.' It was as simple as that. In his memory, she was always the one scolding him for all sorts of mistakes he had committed. 'I am glad we meet again, Hayate.'

'But why?' he could not understand. After ten years they finally met. How long he had been wishing for this day to come, he had no idea. He had wanted to meet her desperately, to tell her he was sorry, how he missed her, how lovely she was. Yet it turned into a fight to defeat the spirit that possessed her, and when he thought he had just saved her, she fell on his body, bleeding, panting, losing signs of life.

'I'm not strong enough,' he heard her speak barely audibly, 'it took me a lot of strength to maintain just standing when the spirit left my body.' He remembered that black shadow he saw ten years ago, and the same figure just a while ago. That horrific appearance made him shiver. The butler could not imagine the pain she had been enduring all these years.

'I'm sorry Hayate,' she continued, 'all I've done is cause you pain.'

Her voice echoed in his mind. She said the same phrase moments ago when she thought of sacrificing herself to save all of them. That's the moment that he felt most despaired. If not for the hero who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, he might have failed.

Speaking of the hero they had both unintentionally ignored, _he_ was standing a few metres away from them with the young witch.

'We have to heal Hayate-sama's injuries...' _he_ heard her say. Of course, one could easily tell how injured the blue-haired boy was, yet the girl lying on him wasn't any better. 'Her wound is too severe. There's nothing I can do.' Years of practice made her know at a glance who could be treated. Isumi proclaimed in her usual steady tone, but _he_ could sense her sadness and helplessness.

'It's fine.' Isumi twitched, turning to look at the person standing next to her. She recognized that voice. Although they had not talked that much, she was pretty sure she knew the owner of the voice. It sounded girly, yet in this situation it sounded like a sorrowful melody. 'That isn't our job.' The hero paused afterwards, turning to leave the scene. However, she did not move.

'Hero-san...?' she decided to play along. For some reasons, she knew that exposing her real identity would do nothing good in here. 'Are you crying?' She asked carefully.

* * *

Visions of past memories continued to flash in front of his eyes. As she wiped away his tears from his cheeks slowly, he found himself looking into her eyes again. That dark red orbs that attracted him for long. She did not blink as he kept on staring. Rather, she smiled.

'I saw you before,' this caught his attention, 'when you set foot on Hakuo.' His eyes widened in surprise. Not long ago he found it hard to believe for him to have found her after so many years. 'A-tan?' He asked. She knew his real question, but decided against giving him one. 'I am the director, remember?'

The blonde girl remembered how he smiled without a care when he was a student, studying in her school. She observed his schedule and felt an immense ache in her heart as he seemed to have finally found happiness with so many different people, something that she ended up destroying ten years ago. Athena regretted every day about their argument, or rather, she regretted her selfishness in insisting to kick him out of the castle. Yet she felt a sense of...mixture of relief and pain...in seeing him in such high spirit. At that moment, she knew she had lost. She had lost his love and the right to be loved. No matter how strong her feeling was, he was too good to be with her.

She coughed, and this panicked him. He knew her wounds were severe, but leaving her here alone was something he didn't want to do. 'A-tan, I'll go get some help,' he decided, informing her of his decision. As he rose to leave, he felt a tuck on his torn butler shirt.

'Don't,' she whispered. A sense of guilt engulfed him. 'But A-tan...' he fought, 'you need help.'

'Hayate,' she looked at his torn shirt and exhausted figure, wondering how many times she had to cause him pain, 'please...just stay for a bit longer...'

And stay he did. As he watched her take in each breath with difficulty, he just brought her closer to himself. Athena was taken aback by his apparent show of affection, but she just smiled in response.

'Do you remember the time we spent together, Hayate?' she asked innocently. Figuring out her time was up, the sixteen-year-old decided to reminisce their good old times.

'Yes...' he sobbed. Living in a luxurious place now didn't mean he had forgotten about his past. She had been his pillar of support back then, when his parents only cared about cheating for money and his brother always went helping others. How could he ever abandon his past? His first time of being a butler, although he didn't know exactly what it meant at that time; his first real friend, whom he found comfort in; his first kiss, his first love...others might laugh at how he took it so seriously, considering the fact that they were that young, but he knew that kind of feeling was something special, that he had never experienced something like that before.

People would laugh, but he knew, he was in love.

* * *

'What are you saying?' Red asked.

Hinagiku watched the scene carefully. She felt like intruding their privacy, when they should be alone. Yet for some reason she could not move her legs. It wasn't exhaustion.

When he told her that Tennosu Athena was the one he loved, she looked at him in disbelief and noticed how time had stopped. She had planned to confess. She had wanted to reveal her true feeling. She hoped to tell him how she had loved him for long. Yet one of her closest friends turned out to be, unexpectedly, the one who stole his heart. Ayumu said that their love was too strong, that made her admired him more. It was true. She knew she couldn't compete with a love like that, when he still had feelings for her even after not seeing each other for nearly a decade.

'A hero is' the young witch continued, 'someone who can't show anyone the tears beneath her mask.'

It took her a while to notice the wordings she chose. _So Isumi-san guesses my identity_, she thought to herself. But she did not care. Heck, her mental strength did not allow her to care about such trivial matter. She was more concerned over the two figures in front of them. One was dying, the other watching her die after finally meeting each other for years. Having never lost someone precious right in front of her eyes, she had no idea how the blue-haired butler must be feeling right now. His back was facing her, so she couldn't read his expression clearly. But she did notice the forced smile on the barely-conscious girl's face.

Was she even crying herself? She slowly removed her helmet, while Isumi just watched in confirmation of her suspicion. She touched her cheek softly, feeling the wet tenderness of her skin. Were these sweat or tears? Probably she was too afraid to find out the answer herself.

'I'm not,' she stated firmly, finding her strength, 'I'm not crying.'

The witch knew better to argue with her in this situation.

* * *

'How has your life been, Hayate?'

Her sudden change of topic startled him, but he quickly regained his composure. 'Your lady...sounds like she treats you really well...' she trailed off, not hiding any sense of bitterness, regret and jealousy in her tone. The butler wasn't a butler for nothing. He knew why she was asking this, and he took notice of her unusually stony voice. 'She is a great lady,' he stated. 'My parents sold me when they had too many debts, and milady took me in. She granted me many things I have never really had,' he paused, enjoying how he informed her of his life now. 'I get to meet a lot of people. I even can attend school now. I can't accomplish all these if I still stay with my parents...' he wondered what else he could say. Athena looked calm, taking in every word he said, not showing any particular emotion but interest and sadness. 'But still, A-tan,' he hugged her tighter, 'there's not a day I do not miss you.'

If only he could see her face, it was redder than her eyes. However, she felt a lot warmer, physically and psychologically. After being alone for so long, she found it hard to resist his charm again, the same that took her breath away ten years ago, when they just met. To say that she regretted her outburst of kicking him out of castle was an understatement. She would have done anything to get back to the start. She would have exchanged anything, just to get him back by her side.

She coughed again, and she knew she did not have much time left. She felt her limbs become a lot heavier, and her chest more painful than ever when taking in each breath. 'A-tan, how are you feeling now?' She was taken aback by his tranquil voice. The Hayate she knew, or anyone knew, would have freaked out, but he was very composed. He just looked at her, sad, calm, ready to accept the fact.

She smiled. She really smiled.

Athena, the name of a great goddess of this planet.

Realization hit him as she coughed again. He knew, somehow, this time, that was it. This would be the last moment they shared together. He had to keep his coolness. Rather serenely, he took in her facial structure again. She really had grown a lot physically. The last image he had was still when they lived together ten years ago. Now in front of him was a young, charming lady who would have won any man's heart easily with her beauty. As she rose slightly to meet his glance, he made up his mind.

'Hayate,' she parted her lips.

'Yes, A-tan?' He leaned closer.

'I love you.'

A-tan was short for Athena.

'I love you too.'

* * *

Should she feel surprised? Maybe she had expected this already, but when she witnessed how their lips locked, she felt a part of her just die.

It wasn't a long kiss: rather, it was a brief but passionate one. From her view she could see both had their eyes closed. Chills were sent down her spine. It wasn't jealousy that she was feeling, at least not exactly. As he slowly pulled away, her head landed comfortably on his chest, leaning on it for support that she no longer needed. Her hands that were put on his chest before dropped to the ground. Athena's curly blonde hair haphazardly scattered around. Hinagiku could no longer see her dark red orbs ever. Yet Hayate did not seem stunned. He gently held her fallen body that had lost her mistress firmly, hugging her, taking in the remaining scent of her body. He looked so clam as if it was just a normal thing to have happened.

Isumi raised her head to look at the sky. It was by then that Hinagiku noticed her hair had restored its original colour. 'A spirit...' she started, 'had just been freed.' The young witch looked at the couple with her sad eyes, not moving a single muscle. Did she feel sorry? Certainly. More like she felt pity. She wasn't a very mature person in these things, but she knew what it meant by losing someone one loved dearly.

Hinagiku, on the other hand, did not know how she should feel right now. She felt like one of those characters in some shoujo manga, where her best friend united with her loved one. Maybe not exactly the setting, but she found herself at loss now. When he told her about his true feeling, she knew she had lost. Lost long before she was even a potential candidate. Without really knowing, her feet brought her by their side. As she looked at her close friend's satisfied smiling face, her watery eyes betrayed her again. However, the blue-haired butler's expression worried her more.

He was smiling the most sincerely depressed smile she had ever seen, stroking the blonde hair and the cheek carelessly. Tears were running down his cheeks soundlessly, but he had no intention in wiping them away. Hinagiku, as if in slow motion, bent down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, her way of saying farewell. Hayate acted as if she wasn't there. In his eyes, it was only her and her only. Athena, a great goddess of this planet. His only.

Hinagiku retreated and returned to Isumi's side, not looking back for once this time. 'Isumi-san, let's go.'

The silent girl just nodded. It was better to leave them alone now and wait for him outside of this dangerous place.

* * *

I must have been a real jerk for not acknowledging Hinagiku-san's presence, A-tan. Don't you think so? Heck, you may have scolded me for acting so emotionless towards another lady.

I am too occupied this time. Every single moment that we spent together ten years ago, and not long ago, entered my mind frame. Your smile that always haunt me. Your kindness that moved me. The way you yelled at me for saying the girl in the pond was cute. I didn't tell you at that time: you don't know how lovely you look when you are angry.

A-tan, where have you been all these years? Even though we finally can meet again, you leave me again just like that, only this time there's no chance for me to find you again. I could have introduced you to everyone that I have known since working for ojou-sama. We could have been happy together again, just like the old times. Do you remember the ring that you gave me? I promised to wear it when we were old enough, yet my parents sold the ring without me knowing ten years ago. I was planning to buy one, with the extra money that I earned, to compensate for my stupid trust in my parents and for breaking us apart. I know very well that I am the reason we separate, and I have been trying to find a way to apologize fully. Why do you have to leave now? I haven't even shown you anything yet.

Yet you still kept on smiling, despite suffering from such severe injuries for ten years. I always consider the days I spent with you were the best days of my life. How could I ever forget the happiness you brought me? Yet my repayment was to hurt you, firstly verbally, then mentally, and now physically. I have wanted to apologize, to say I'm sorry, to say I need you, to say how much I love you over and over again. A-tan, why do you have to be this cruel to me?

Or perhaps I do not have the right to say that. If it were not me then we might still be together. A-tan, do you know how much I've missed you all these years? When Hinagiku-san invited me to her house, once, and asked about me having a girlfriend, image of you floated in my mind. I don't know if I can call you that, but you will always be my first girlfriend, my first love.

To be honest, I try to move on. I try to forget about you. I've met a lot of nice girls after ojou-sama helped me enrol into Hakuo Academy, and I did feel something special with some of them, but whenever I thought about my feelings again at night, when I was alone in my room, images of you appeared in my head again.

Is it okay for me to move on now, A-tan? When we shared our last kiss, you whispered 'I love you' before you went. As I am holding your soulless body now, cherishing each of your mature features, I wonder if there will come another day when I tell someone I truly love her. Will such a day come, A-tan?

It's such a shame for us to part. I want us to be back in the past, where we could just enjoy ourselves entirely. Selfishly speaking, I don't want to go through this turmoil, yet deep in my heart I know you have suffered a lot more than I have, and I am forever grateful for what you have given me, A-tan. Your love and your care, I will never forget them.

I guess this is goodbye, Tennosu Athena, my A-tan. Your lips still taste warm even when you have already left me. I won't leave you here, though. I will bring you back to Japan. I won't leave you here.

But for now, this is goodbye, A-tan. I love you.

Farewell, A-tan.

* * *

_The End_

* * *

So, do you like the story? I enjoy so much writing this story, not only because I haven't written tragedy in a while, but I feel like my passion in fanfiction has come back. Thank God that I had a week of Spring Break to allow me to get away from books and go somewhere else, just walk around, think, read manga and write this story! By the way, in case you haven't listened before, go listen to the song of the title by Coldplay. It's such a beautiful song and I didn't realize how much it fits Hayate and Athena's relationship after I've completed half of this story.

However, this will probably just be the first part...I'm having a sequel in my mind, but it will focus on Hayate-Hinagiku instead. I will begin writing that if I have time. If I have time...if I have enough time...

Anyway, please review on this story. There aren't too many Hayate no Gotoku fanfiction and I hope some of you will also start to write one soon!


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